DETROIT---In addition to its national telecast on CBS and availability online via March Madness on Demand, the 2009 NCAA Men’s Final Four will be distributed to 153 countries around the world, including Canada, China, Japan India, Israel, Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Australia, Greece, Spain, Germany, Italy and England. 

Since 2004, the number of countries broadcasting the Final Four has increased from 115, a spike of 43 percent. The NCAA, in conjunction with Winnercomm, is producing a World Feed of the Final Four, with Brad Sham and Fran Fraschilla calling the action.

Westwood One Radio will broadcast the games from Ford Field in Detroit to more than 450 affiliates nationwide. In addition, the American Forces Radio Network will transmit Westwood One’s broadcast to more than 170 countries and 150 ships at sea. The games can also be heard on Sirius/XM satellite radio and online at www.ncaa.com/mmod.

“The Final Four has long been one of America’s most popular sporting events, but the increasing popularity of the event around the world is evidenced by the number of countries carrying the game for their viewers,” said Greg Shaheen, senior vice president for basketball and business strategies for the NCAA. “We are excited that the Final Four will be available for college basketball fans in countries throughout Asia, Europe, Africa, Central and South America and the Caribbean, and even on no fewer than a half dozen cruise lines. And we are especially pleased that the games will again be shown to the men and women serving our country abroad via the Armed Forces Network.” 

Saturday’s first semifinal game, featuring West Regional champion Connecticut against Midwest Regional champ Michigan State, tips off at 6:07 p.m. EST. South Region champion North Carolina faces East Region champion Villanova 40 minutes after the conclusion of the first semifinal.